The adherence of 58 nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae isolates obtained from patients with otitis media or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obtained from the throats of healthy individuals to Chang and NCI-H292 epithelial cells was compared. Otitis media isolates, but not COPD isolates, adhered significantly more to both cell lines than did throat isolates. Since high-molecular-weight (HMW) proteins are major adhesins of nontypeable H. influenzae, the isolates were screened for HMW protein expression by Western blotting with two polyclonal sera and PCR with hmw-specific primers. Twenty-three of the 32 adhering isolates (72%) and only 1 of the 26 nonadherent strains were HMW protein or hmw gene positive. Among the 32 isolates adhering to either cell line, 5 different adherence patterns were distinguished based on the inhibiting effect of dextran sulfate. Using H. influenzae strain 12 expressing two well-defined HMW proteins (HMW1 and HMW2) and its isogenic mutants as a reference, we observed HMW1-like adherence to both cell lines for 16 of the 32 adherent isolates. Four others showed HMW2-like adherence to NCI-H292. Of the three other patterns of adherence, one probably also involved HMW protein. Screening of the isolates with six HMW-specific monoclonal antibodies in a whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the HMW proteins of COPD isolates and carrier isolates were more distinct from the HMW proteins from H. influenzae strain 12 than those from otitis media isolates. Characterization of the HMW protein of a COPD isolate by adherence and DNA sequence analysis showed that despite large sequence diversity in the hmwA gene, probably resulting in the antigenic differences, the HMW protein mediated the HMW2-like adherence of this strain.The gram-negative bacterium Haemophilus influenzae is a commensal of the human upper respiratory tract. Encapsulated strains, in particular those with a serotype b polysaccharide, are important pathogens causing systemic disease, such as meningitis, epiglottitis, cellulitis, arthritis, sepsis, and pneumonia. Nonencapsulated (nontypeable) H. influenzae is a frequent cause of respiratory tract infections, including otitis media, sinusitis, and lower respiratory tract infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (20,34,35).Adherence of H. influenzae to the respiratory epithelial cells is considered an important step in the colonization of the respiratory mucosa. Several adhesins of H. influenzae have been determined, each with different adherence specificities (23, 30, 39). Adherence of H. influenzae by a fimbriamediated as well as a fimbria-independent mechanism has been described. Fimbria-mediated adherence seems to be especially relevant for the adherence of encapsulated H. influenzae isolates to different cells (8,17,24,29), since this type of adherence is not hampered by capsule expression (28, 30). Only a minority of nontypeable H. influenzae isolates from different sources contained a fimbria gene cluster (9, 10, 15). ...

IntroductionPrevalence of abdominal obesity dramatically increases both in developed countries and in developing countries. In several regions in Africa, obesity (especially abdominal) is seen as a sign of affluence, dignity and respect. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of abdominal obesity and seek some factors associated in a peri-urban population of West Africa.MethodsDuring April-May 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Anonkoi 3, a neighborhood of Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Adults of 18 years old and over, not bedridden were included. Sampling was done in two stages. First, we selected the households. Then in each household we randomly chose one adult. Abdominal obesity was measured using a measuring tape and defined by waist circumference ratio (TT) to hip circumference (TH) greater or equal to 0.80 in women and greater or equal to 0.95 in men. Data from sociodemographic, corpulence, socioeconomic level, food habit, level of physical activity and blood pressure were analyzed. Univariate analysis using the Pearson KHI-square test at a significance level of 0.05 and a logistic regression was performed.ResultsWe visited 486 households in which 486 people aged 36.1 ± 12.83 years agreed to participate in the study. Prevalence of abdominal obesity was 50.8%. Those aged 30–45 years, women, couples, those with a primary level of education, the poor, people with high blood pressure, subjects less active and obese (general obesity) had more abdominal obesity. After logistic regression, individuals aged 30–45 years (adjusted OR = 2.35; p = 0.004) and 45 years and older (adjusted OR = 3.18; p = 0.001); females (adjusted OR = 49.05; p = 0.000); hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.26; p = 0.014) and obesity (OR = 2.94; p = 0.009).ConclusionThis work allowed us to estimate a relatively high prevalence of abdominal obesity in a peri-urban African population.

In this study feline (FECV and FIPV) and canine (CCoV) coronavirus entry into and release from polarized porcine epithelial LLC-PK1 cells, stably expressing the recombinant feline aminopeptidase-N cDNA, were investigated. Virus entry appeared to occur preferentially through the apical membrane, similar to the entry of the related porcine coronavirus transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) into these cells. However, whereas TGEV is released apically, feline and canine coronaviruses were found to be released from the basolateral side of the epithelial cells. These observations indicate that local infections as caused by TGEV, FECV and CCoV do not strictly correlate with apical release, as suggested by earlier work.

Catastrophic healthcare expenditure (CHE) occurs in all countries and is responsible for inequalities in access to health care, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. The objective of this work is to analyse the determinants of CHEs in households living in Côte d'Ivoire. The data for the study are from the national household living standards survey conducted from January 23 to March 25, 2015 by the

Background: Hypertension is one of the major factors for high mortality of adults in Africa. However, complications occur at lower values than those previously classified as hypertension. Thus, prehypertension is considered as a new category of hypertension and a major risk factor for developing clinical hypertension relative to those with normotension, it has been linked with increased future risk of hypertension as well as cardiovascular diseases.Objectives: The objective of this review was to determine prevalence of prehypertension and describe the associated factors of prehypertension in Africa during the past 10 years. Methods:We did a systematic review using the databases PubMed/Medline, and search engine google scholar. We selected sources of publications and conducted an analysis of articles. Keywords in English were: prehypertension, high normal blood pressure, high blood pressure, elevated blood pressure, Africa. Keywords in french were: préhypertension artérielle, préhypertension, pression artérielle normale haute, pression artérielle normale, Afrique.Mesh terms were: Prehypertension, Africa.Results: Twenty-seven articles were selected. Prevalence of prehypertension ranged from 2.5% to 34% in children and adolescents. In adults, prevalence varied from 32.9% to 56.8%. Several factors were associated with prehypertension in Africa. These factors included: age; sex; lifestyle such as smoking, alcohol consumption, low physical activity, overweight and obesity. There were also cardiometabolic factors and few others factors which were associated with prehypertension. Conclusion:This review allowed us to observe that the prevalence of prehypertension was variable according to age of the population and prehypertension is associated with several factors.

Personal hygiene has an impact on the health, quality of life and academic performance of schoolchildren. The factors associated with it can be complex. We carried out our analysis based on a database on hookworms in schoolchildren in Côte d'Ivoire. This is a cross-sectional retrospective study, on 2,035 schoolchildren recruited from 30 schools in the western region of Côte d'Ivoire. The predictors of good personal hygiene for schoolchildren were the existence of a good level of sanitation at home (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.24–2.13) and a primary school education as the minimum level of education for the father (OR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.12–1.96). In contrast, students below the age of ten attending poor sanitary establishments are more likely to have poor personal hygiene (OR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.22–0.73); therefore, it becomes necessary to provide good basic environmental sanitation for families and schools.

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